Friday, May 01, 2009

Filipino leader Gloria Arroyo with Lieutenant General Victor Ibrado, the new chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who replaced Lieutenant General Alexander Yano during the change of command ceremonies Friday, May 01, 2009 in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City. (Photo by Ronald Navarro)

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 1, 2009) – Army chief Lieutenant General Victor Ibrado has formally assumed Friday as the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Ibrado replaced General Alexander Yano, who retired early after President Gloria Arroyo named him as the new ambassador to Brunei. Yano was supposed to retire next month.

Arroyo’s former aide, Lieutenant General Delfin Bangit took over as the new army chief.

Arroyo ordered Ibrado to build on the gains of his predecessors on improving the life of the ordinary soldier. “I expect Gen. Ibrado… to build on the gains of his predecessors, not only on the military front but especially with regard to soldiers’ welfare,” she said in her speech at the end of the change of command ceremonies in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“I count on Gen. Ibrado to harness the Filipino spirit and commitment to caring to prompt those who benefit from peace and security provided by the Armed Forces (to) count their blessings and give back to those who are less fortunate among our ordinary Filipino soldiers,” she said.

The Philippine News Agency reported that Ibrado vowed to reduce insurgency. “We all have a deadline to beat, so just do your job,” he told the soldiers.

Ibrado has only less than a year to serve as military chief and could also retire early to allow Bangit to sit even before the Presidential election next year.

Arroyo was reported to be eyeing Bangit as her military chief to ensure the military's loyalty on her administration which has been rocked with corruption scandals. (Mindanao Examiner)